Dental Assistants
SOC Code: 31-9091 Job Zone 3: Medium Preparation Needed
Perform limited clinical duties under the direction of a dentist. Clinical duties may include equipment preparation and sterilization, preparing patients for treatment, assisting the dentist during treatment, and providing patients with instructions for oral healthcare procedures. May perform administrative duties such as scheduling appointments, maintaining medical records, billing, and coding information for insurance purposes.
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Prevailing Wage Levels (National)
DOL/OFLC prevailing wage thresholds for Dental Assistants. Hourly rates x 2,080 = annual.
FY2027 Weighted Lottery Impact
| Level | Lottery Entries | Est. Selection Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Level I (Entry) | 1 entry | ~16% |
| Level II (Qualified) | 2 entries | ~31% |
| Level III (Experienced) | 3 entries | ~45% |
| Level IV (Expert) | 4 entries | ~61% |
Prevailing Wages by Metro Area
| Metro Area | Level I | Level II | Level III | Level IV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $53,123 | $61,422 | $69,722 | $78,021 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $50,918 | $57,970 | $65,000 | $72,051 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $58,656 | $62,566 | $66,498 | $70,408 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $52,250 | $57,970 | $63,710 | $69,430 |
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $46,218 | $53,290 | $60,382 | $67,454 |
| Vallejo, CA | $44,491 | $51,688 | $58,885 | $66,082 |
| Rochester, MN | $53,269 | $57,491 | $61,714 | $65,936 |
| Bismarck, ND | $45,032 | $51,834 | $58,656 | $65,458 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $44,138 | $51,126 | $58,136 | $65,125 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $49,067 | $54,413 | $59,758 | $65,104 |
Key Skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Active Listening | 3.9 | |
| Speaking | 3.4 | |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.2 | |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.1 | |
| Active Learning | 3.1 | |
| Monitoring | 3.1 | |
| Instructing | 3.1 | |
| Service Orientation | 3.1 | |
| Critical Thinking | 3.0 | |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.0 |
Knowledge Areas
| Knowledge | Importance |
|---|---|
| Customer and Personal Service | 4.5 |
| Medicine and Dentistry | 4.4 |
| English Language | 3.8 |
| Administration and Management | 3.5 |
| Administrative | 3.5 |
| Computers and Electronics | 3.3 |
| Sales and Marketing | 3.3 |
| Production and Processing | 3.1 |
Education Requirements
| Education Level | % of Workers |
|---|---|
| Some college | 46.0% |
| High school diploma | 28.6% |
| Post-secondary certificate | 17.1% |
| Associate's degree | 8.3% |
Typical Tasks
- Prepare patient, sterilize or disinfect instruments, set up instrument trays, prepare materials, or assist dentist during dental procedures.
- Expose dental diagnostic x-rays.
- Record treatment information in patient records.
- Take and record medical and dental histories and vital signs of patients.
- Provide postoperative instructions prescribed by dentist.
- Assist dentist in management of medical or dental emergencies.
- Pour, trim, and polish study casts.
- Instruct patients in oral hygiene and plaque control programs.
Technology Skills
Green = Hot Technology in demand
Henry Schein Dentrix Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Email software Kodak Dental Systems Kodak SOFTDENT Practice management software PMS Open Dental Patterson Dental Supply Patterson EagleSoft Quicken The Systems Workplace TDOCS Web browser software Word processing software
Calculate your wage level for Dental Assistants →
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